493.11/2161: Telegram
The Secretary of State to the Consul General at Tientsin (Caldwell)
76. Your 128, July 18, 3 p.m.27 If as stated in the enclosure to your mail despatch No. 259 of March 25,27 Texas Company’s losses at Tehchow were the result of looting “after Japanese occupied town”, the mere fact that as reported in your despatch No. 293 of June 127 [Page 412] such looting was done by bandits of Chinese nationality would not necessarily relieve Japanese Government of liability for those losses under the principles of responsibility set out in Department’s 98 March 8, 6 p.m. to Hankow. It is suggested therefore that that [those] losses be reported to your Japanese colleague as having been due to looting subsequent to Japanese occupation of the town.